Cape Spear Postcard

The Cape Spear Lighthouse has been a guiding beacon for sailors since the mid 1800's. This was only the second light to offer aid along any of Newfoundland's rocky coasts, even though the island had at the time been populated for two centuries. During the Second World War, Cape Spear took on a whole new significance. German submarines and raiders off the coast of the Island posed a considerable threat. A coastal defence battery, equipped with two 10" guns was constructed here to protect the entrance to St. John's Harbour. The gun emplacements were built at the tip of the Cape and connected by underground passages to magazine and equipment rooms. From 1941 to 1945, troops were stationed here. With the end of hostilities in 1945, most of the fortifications were demolished but the gun emplacements stand as a sombre reminder of that important period in our military history Visitors to Cape Spear in the spring and summer months should watch for whales, icebergs, and seabirds.